Eagle Creek Academy Recognizes The Uniqueness Of Every Child

This Patch article is sponsored by Eagle Creek Academy.

Local businesses are the heart of our communities. Patch had a chance to talk with Catherine Hammond, President, Board of Trustees of Eagle Creek Academy.

Patch: Tell us a bit about your business or organization.
Catherine Hammond: Eagle Creek Academy is a private, non-profit school offering programs for ages 2 to 12. Our K-5 elementary school has very small class sizes, usually 14 to 16 children, and very experienced teachers with an average of 18 years in education. Our early childhood program serves children from 2 to 5 years old, including preschool prep, preschool, and young fives. Each early childhood class has only 8 to 12 children, so the children get a lot of attention, and the teachers, children, and families become very close. We also offer a Little Eagles program during which children 2 to 4 years old bring their parents (or a family friend) to school with them for one or two short classes per week. Our summer camps for ages 4 to entering 6th grade are wildly popular. Families choose the week(s) they want, such as Kid Cooking, Lego Challenge, Water Fun, or Nature Art. Finally, for homeschooled children, we offer monthly gym and art classes. In all our programs, the goal is to find the perfect balance of fun and learning.

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town?
Hammond: Eagle Creek started 30 years ago and moved to our current, huge building and campus in 2005.

Patch: What attracted you to the line of work you’re in, and how did you get started?
Hammond: All of us at Eagle Creek have been in education as far back as we can remember. My family jokes about me as a kid, sitting in the back seat whenever we drove up north, teaching my toddler sister a long list of spelling words. One of the best things about Eagle Creek is our teachers' varied backgrounds. We have teachers who have been in schools for the gifted, schools for children with special needs, Montessori schools, and international schools. We have experience with a huge array of curriculum materials, and we are experts at finding the right resources for each child.

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?
Hammond: Recognize each child's uniqueness.

Patch: What’s the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you’ve faced in your job?
Hammond: One of our biggest goals is to build a community for the children in and outside of the classroom. This means offering many opportunities for their families to join the school experience. We like having parents present on their cultures, their holidays, their jobs, and so on. We like when grandparents come share their passions. We love family field trips. We have Grandparents Day, Breakfast with Santa, Trunk or Treat, Family Bowling, and so on. Thus, the pandemic was hard for us, because the public rules caused a sharp drop in the number and kind of family events we could offer. We are so happy to have our families back in the building more.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?
Hammond: The best part of my job is watching our teachers instill self-confidence in the children. I have always believed that each child is a unique individual with his or her own strengths, so I enjoy watching the teachers get to know the children, discover their interests, and give them chances to excel. For example, I like going in the STEAM lab and watching a six-year old child find success by using his hands to build a gadget, or attending a choir concert and watching an eight-year-old sing solo. It's awesome to watch children's self-confidence grow. It's this self-confidence we use to teach children the next steps in a hard math problem or the next skill in gym class. There's nothing better than watching kids grow into themselves and feel pride in who they are.

Patch: How would you say your business or organization distinguishes itself from the others?
Hammond: In all of our programs, we have great ratios and small classes. This gives the teachers the time to really get to know each child. Our kindergarten teachers can tell you exactly which sounds and letters each child knows, which words each child can spell, and which math concepts each child understands. They can also tell you how each child learns best, be it by watching or talking or doing. With all this knowledge, our teachers write daily lesson plans that incorporate each child's needs. This attention to the details of each child's learning pays off. Although we don't "teach to the test," in all grades K-5, our students score well above the national average on the NWEA standardized tests, and wherever they go to school next, we always hear back how well prepared Eagle Creek's kids are.

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?
Hammond: Listen.

Patch: Are there any new projects or endeavors you’re working on that you’re extra excited about? If so, what details can you share and what makes it so exciting?
Hammond: The children are always thrilled with our STEAM classes. Right now, all Eagle Creek grade levels are working on electrical circuits. For example, the fourth grade is making electric quizboards, so when a user touches two pins to match a question and answer, the circuit is completed via wires on the back and a light goes on. For these kinds of activities, the students use all raw materials (no kits with simple answers!) Our STEAM lab has all the newest equipment, with a 3D printer, a green screen, a kiln, a printing press, dozens of robots, and so much more, and still, every few months, we are adding something new!

Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community? If so, tell us about them.
Hammond: Our summer camp has been growing like sunflowers, and we already have families trying to enroll for 2023! It's a simple program. Families choose the weeks they want, which helps with their summer planning. Each week, each class has a new theme, which we post in advance, so the kids are excited to come to school. The themes are fun, but they are also educational. For example, when one of the K & 1 classes baked last summer, the children had to read and compare recipes. They had to sort, measure, and mix the ingredients. They learned to set the table and use proper eating etiquette. Even though these are summer classes, we are experts at finding ways to make them both fun and academic. The concept has taken off, and we expect summer 2023 to be fantastically busy.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about Eagle Creek Academy?
Hammond: Please visit our website at eaglecreekacademy.com, and follow us on Facebook. Also, contact us anytime at info@eaglecreekacademy or 248-475-9999 to arrange a private tour. We are eager to get to know you and your child.